Korea Joins ICC, Becomes 83rd State Party

The Republic of Korea Becomes Eighty-Third State Party to the International Criminal Court

Eleven Asian Nations Now Eligible to Nominate Candidates for ICC Judges

(New York, November 14, 2002) - The Republic of Korea yesterday became the eighty-third country to deposit its instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the eleventh Asian nation eligible to nominate a candidate in the election of ICC judges. The Republic of Korea's membership in the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC marks strong support from the region and the addition of a close U.S. ally, despite ongoing U.S. opposition to the court.

"The importance of the ratification by the Republic of Korea of the Rome Statute can hardly be overstated," said William Pace, Convenor of the NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court. "The Republic of Korea is a major Asian nation, an important democracy and a nation that has suffered terribly from war crimes and crimes against humanity in the past. It is also," he added, "unfortunately, a nation where there still exists an extremely dangerous potential conflict zone with the threat of weapons of mass destruction and where international forces are present. The decision by this nation to support the ICC when its neighbors and a key ally are not is very significant."

Under ICC jurisdiction, the citizens of the Republic of Korea and others in that territory will be protected against genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Other Asian States Parties to the ICC, according to the UN country grouping, are Fiji, Tajikistan, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Mongolia, Cyprus, Jordan, Cambodia, East Timor and Samoa. This country grouping will be used in identifying the maximum number ICC judges from each region, in accordance with the minimum voting requirements adopted by the Assembly of States Parties to promote a fair representation of judges. Currently, Mongolia, Cyprus, Samoa and Fiji have nominated candidates from the Asia group; only countries that have completed ratification of the Rome Statute by November 30, 2002 will be eligible nominate candidates.

The deposit of the Republic of Korea's instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute follows its November 8, 2002 ratification by the Korean National Assembly. The Republic of Korea is actively working to draft the implementing legislation necessary to enable cooperation with the ICC, and has reported this process is expected to be completed in early 2003.

The Republic of Korea's ratification deposit follows that of Dijibouti on Tuesday, November 5.

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For more information about the process of ratification of the Republic of Korea, please visit http://www.iccnow.org/countryinfo/asia/republicofkorea.html. For the official UN list of ICC judicial nominees , please visit http://www.un.org/law/icc/elections/judges/judges_nominations.htm.

About the NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court The NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is a network of over 1,000 civil society organizations and legal associations working to support a permanent, fair and independent International Criminal Court. Established in 1995, the CICC is the leading source of information regarding the ICC and the international movement to support its formation. For more information, please visit http://www.iccnow.org.

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Adele Waugaman, Media Liaison Coalition for the International Criminal Court

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